No matter what the size of your company, the challenges are much the same.

How do we stay competitive and ahead of the market as we face a new business environment like none we have ever seen? As little as a year or two ago it was easy to capture some market share. The only requirement...Just show up!

Those days are gone.

Some predict as much as 80% of the vape businesses in existence today will be gone in the next two years. Whatever the actual number, will you be one of them?

Manufacturers are especially distracted right now by the potential threat stemming from the prohibitive cost of the Pre-Market Tobacco Application (PMTA). Advocacy groups and industry members all along the supply chain are focused on support of Cole-Bishop to move the Predicate (grandfather) Date. Meanwhile, litigants attempt to knock down the FDA Deeming Regulation entirely or at least push back the PMTA submission due date.

Many are expressing optimism about these efforts, and believe if the Predicate Date is moved to August 8, 2016, all will be right with the world again.

But all of this is also a distraction from an equally-dangerous and far more certain threat...

Far too many in the vaping industry are missing an even greater threat posed by the certainty of mandatory GMPs (Good Manufacturing Practices) which are required of all manufacturers in every FDA-regulated industry. The FDA’s GMP requirements for the vaping industry will be announced and phased-in sooner rather than later.

If nothing is done to encourage, educate and assist vaping industry manufacturers to work now on moving rapidly toward general GMP compliance (in absence of the industry-specific ones), the number of US manufacturers could drop significantly, from presently too many, to less than fifty, certainly too few.

This will cause huge losses all along the supply chain, and a loss of market share back to tobacco.

If you’re an e-liquid brand owner already on the path to GMP compliance, then you’re probably looking for a way to break through the noise in a crowded market, to educate your prospects on the importance of doing business with companies poised to remain in business through the FDA’s implementation of GMPs.

It’s not easy, is it? Getting retailers to understand why they should care, and then giving them the tools to tell the difference between contenders and pretenders… it eats up the clock on the sales cycle and drives up customer acquisition costs dramatically.

Or, if you’re an e-liquid brand owner that is not up to date with the regulations, you may be looking for more information and resources on GMP compliance.

Introducing VIBE - Vape Industry Business Exchange.

VIBE is the first industry trade group supporting the vape business. Founded by industry veterans Norm Bour and James Arbaugh, VIBE has engaged board members and industry experts from every branch of the industry, and could be the best chance we have to survive the bumpy roads ahead.

How VIBE helps shop owners:

Group buying power-

Attain even higher margins in high volume shops.

Never let high MOQ’s stop your small town shop from getting great prices

Great rates on services like, legal, insurance and business consulting

VIBE-Qualified suppliers who are certified to be on the path to FDA compliance

Industry information, training and professional support for your small business

How VIBE helps E-liquid brands:

Connect to our marketplace of vape shop owners who are serious about aligning themselves with the right suppliers, are trained by our online courses and by the community

Become VIBE-qualified, showing you are on the right path to compliance while getting all the extra help you need to reach the finish line

Vape retailers will have power in numbers, helping them to maintain the big buying power they have enjoyed even as supply drastically shrinks

VIBE will also help serious retailers make the right choices on inventory to avoid losses as well as regulatory penalties

VIBE will bring manufacturers the help they need to remain in business, thereby reducing the effects of an oncoming eLiquid supply crisis

VIBE will help every part of the supply chain to identify and do business with those who are serious about long term sustainability rather than just making a quick buck.

Join us for the VIBE Launch Sequence, a series of three webinars starting next week. The first is on Tuesday, July 18, at 5:00 p.m. PST, 8:00 p.m. EST. Find out how we can all harness the power of collaboration to solve the biggest challenges facing our industry. These free webinars will explain what VIBE is all about and how you can benefit.

Webinar #4 - August 1, 2017This webinar will cover how the Guaranteed Sales Program gives retailers a risk-free way to test-market certified eLiquid brands, and continually refresh new brands to test in their stores.